Mischief
by Basched
Summary: New Years Eve. A party completely ruined by rotten scheming friends? For fun only, don't take too seriously.


_Just a fun silly story again. New Years party ruined for a purpose? I'm not sure if this is as good as the other short I did. Please…lemme know what you think. Ta. _

_**Final Fantasy 12:**_

_**New Year's Mischief **_

The previous New Years celebrations had always ended up badly, or in some cases had become very boring. She had prepared and thrown a great party in the palace of Rabanastre, inviting all the nobles throughout Ivalice, as well as her friends. It had _a _atmosphere, with music and dance, entertainment of some sorts, but something happened that ruined the very special moment.

"_10- 9- 8- 7- 6- 5- 4- 3- 2- 1-! Happy New Year!!!!"_

Instead of the explosions and the release of thousands of glitter strips and rose petals into the great hall, the room was suddenly flooded water. All the guests, the visiting nobles and dignitaries, politicians and royals were drenched in a never ending storm.

Looking up, Asheila could see more explosions bursting on the ceiling, emptying water onto the screaming hordes below. Water motes. Endless water motes had been attached instead of the balloons and now a sprinkler system ruined her great hall, her party and her dress.

Ashe was furious.

Everything had happened tonight that she didn't want to happen. A prankster amongst this crowd had unleashed a volley of childish tricks, from smoke bombs in amongst the orchestra; casting blind spells on the waiters; casting ice spells on the floor, to others such as making objects invisible and sending the palace guards to sleep.

There were others, including the floating of the buffet table and the poor old Rozzarian man that _had_ slightly amused her, but if she was brutally honest, it was all a little funny and Ashe was pleased she could see what so many of these stuck up people failed to find humorous.

Not so now. Her wonderful white and red dress was ruined, the hair that had taken her maids hours to curl and shape into a beautiful lattice around her head was now hanging in soggy ringlets over her shivering skin. Her make-up was running and the heels on her shoes were broken so now she had cold wet soaking feet as she stormed through the new forming stream in her hall.

She had an idea as to who was behind all this. There was only one that could be and he was standing casually by the drinks table, laughing. He didn't mind getting wet, so Ashe thought that he wouldn't mind getting a damned good slap.

"How DARE you!!" she screamed, her hand rising up to smack his smarmy face. His hand was quicker and he caught her before that palm could get even close. "You've ruined my party! You've ruined New Years Eve! You and your petty and childish jokes!"

"Hey! I heard you saying that the party was dull! And I do recall you laughing after I put laxatives in Al-Cid's drinks!"

That was funny.

"It wasn't very nice of you to block the toilets up before hand." she snapped, trying hard not to smile once again at the tall Rozzarian royal having the unfortunate accident in front of his family.

"You still laughed."

"LOOK AT ME!" Ashe screamed just as another load of water motes erupted into the hall.

"Fine weather for Ichthons, wouldn't you say?"

"You will pay for all of this!!" she seethed. "I will make you pay dearly Balthier! I knew I should never have invited you!!"

Balthier shook his head.

"Can't take the credit for all of this. The water motes was actually Fran's idea."

Fran's idea?! Ashe couldn't believe it. She had no idea that the Viera would participate in such an act! Fran would never do something as bad as ruin this New Year's Party! Would she?

Looking round through the still streaming "rain" and pushing her hair out of her face, Ashe saw the only other occupant of the great hall, who had gone unnoticed by everyone else during the panic.

She had stripped out of her dress and was standing naked by the balcony doors, relishing in the water draining down on her. Her eyes were closed and a very rare but contented smile was on her face.

"She hated that dress." said Balthier, grinning like a child as the Viera woman began to spin with her arms out stretched. "Wanted to do anything to get out of it. Nothing I could do or say made that happen which was a shame, but she found her own way. In the spirit of the rest of the evening of course. It's a wild side to her that I truly admire."

"Both of you…."

"Oh, Fran only did this."

"But the laxatives was you?" Ashe began to shiver. "So were the smoke bombs?"

"No that was Larsa."

"Larsa?!!! Why did he do any of this?!"

"Well…I think "Because I can." came up in conversation. That and he didn't like the music."

Were her parties _really _that bad? Ashe had thought it all quite charming, but then again not everyone wanted charming.

"But you did put the oil slick on the dance floor?"

"That was Penelo."

"The sneezing powder in the peanuts?"

"Nono."

"But he was the one that ate them all!" Ashe cried in confusion.

"He forgot he did it and you did invite him, Highness."

"Okay…what did Vaan do?"

"The blinding waiters and the floating buffet table."

"And you all decided to do this to really make my evening perfect, did you?!"

Balthier smiled one of his most charming smiles and held her knuckles to his lips. He kissed them gently and there came a deep chuckle from the scheming pirate.

"Happy New Year….Queen Asheila B'nargin. Should be a good one, I feel."

Balthier let her hand drop and his eyes wondered back to the dancing Viera. He slicked back his wet soaking hair with a single hand and then trudged through the water to take hold of Fran.

The two of them smiled and began to dance to music only they heard.

That did not make Ashe feel any better. Her guests had all fled, she was now standing alone with a soaking wet dress and cold feet and all she could feel was the rage at which her so called friends had sabotaged everything.

Yes the party had been a little dull….yes some of the pranks had been amusing, but in the end Ashe was dismayed that decorum and manners had been rejected by her friends. She hadn't expected them to do such things and to start off her year in so horrid a way…she could not face any of them now.

Tears were now starting to join the dripping water down her cheeks. As she squelched along the corridors, she ignored all those servants and other guests who came to protest, she wavered any aid or help and ordered all to leave her alone. This was a horrible start to the new year and her reign.

Her own choking sobs and angry mutterings prevented her from hearing the screaming at first, but the closer she got to her room, the more evident it became.

Someone was very angry. Ashe didn't think anyone could be more angry than her, but there was some heavy thumping and deep bellowing that couldn't be ignored. She rushed up to her door, briefly ripping off the white note attached to it, before storming straight into her room.

The sight before her changed everything.

00000

_Dear Ashe, (Majesty)_

_We can no longer continue to ignore this situation. All of us have noticed how down and lonely you've been feeling and we feel it is about time things are finally brought out into the open. We talked to him, but his denial only made things worse. We all came up with a plan, but he refused to willingly take part, thus he is where you see him now. As for the rest of the party…it was partially for our own benefits but this moment is for you and him. Accept the fact that you two really care about each other and feel really ashamed that it came to this to make it possible! _

_Enjoy this New Years Eve…Majesty. You deserve such happiness. You deserve him._

000000

"Have you read this?" she asked, slowly walking up to the struggling man. Her eyes refused to look away, her teeth bit ferociously at her lip and her skin was now surprisingly warm flushed.

"Highness, forgive my appearance. Just release me now and I will see to it they are punished for such an act!"

Basch Fon Ronsenberg was handcuffed, naked to one of the posts of her bed, with only with his Judge Helm covering his modesty. Ashe had longed to see this sight. He was so embarrassed, he was so afraid to be like this in front of her, totally at her mercy that he couldn't stop apologising and trying to be humble. It only endeared him to the Queen even more.

"Captain….?"

There was a reply that was a nervous babble of words as Ashe stood mere inches from him.

"But the helmet down and shut up."

As soon as her hands pressed against his hot sweaty skin, the helm fell to the floor with a loud clang.

000000

"Is she going to kill us?" asked Penelo as she and Vaan crept up to the room.

The two pressed their ears against the door and tried to listen. There was an almighty crack of wood and a scream.

"Nope." Vaan smiled. "It's all good!"

"Hey!" Penelo gave her friend a huge hug. "I told you he could have broken that post if he tried hard enough!!"


End file.
